"(Notice) Translated by AI. Please note that there may be translation errors." 

Academic Event to be Held: “Inquiry into the City Identity of ‘May Gwangju’”

Envisioning the future of May 18 through three themes: Transitional Justice, May Literature, and History & Culture Tourism - July 23 (Thu) at 3:00 PM, Seminar Room of the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives -

The May 18 Memorial Foundation (Chairman Yoon Mok-hyun) and the May Literary Arts Research Institute (Representative Na Jong-young) will host an academic event titled “Inquiry into the City Identity of ‘May Gwangju’” on Thursday, July 23, at 3:00 PM in the 7th-floor seminar room of the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives.

The seminar will be divided into three specific sub-themes: “Transitional Justice and May Literature,” “May Culture and Arts as Gwangju’s City Identity,” and “Possibilities and Directions for History and Culture Tourism in May Historical Sites.”

The history of resolving the issues surrounding May 18 is inherently the history of South Korea’s reckoning with its past. Throughout this process, the role and achievements of culture and arts have been remarkable. Literature, in particular, has stood at the forefront, vividly exposing the "scenes" of May 18 and investigating the fundamental issues of life and society hidden beneath historical facts.

• Theme 1: Examines the practical process of how "May Literature" has implemented transitional justice based on the United Nations' pillars of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. It will highlight the symbolic achievements of May literature and seek future prospects. Kim Hyung-jung (Literary Critic and Professor at Chosun Univ.) will present, with Jung Myung-joong (Professor at Chonnam Natl. Univ.) and Jung Yang-ju (Poet) serving as discussants.
• Theme 2: Explores how to imagine and shape the future of the city community during major transitions, such as the Gwangju-Jeonnam integration. It will evaluate the potential of "May Culture and Arts," a unique identity formed in the daily lives of Gwangju citizens since 1980. Jung Min-ryong (Director of Gwangju Buk-gu House of Culture) will present, with cultural planner Kim Kkot-bi and art critic Kim Seo-ra joining the discussion.
• Theme 3: Focuses on the physical spaces of the May 18 historical sites, which currently number 30 in Gwangju and 33 across nine regions in Jeonnam. For historical rectification to serve as a symbolic asset for the future, these spaces must breathe and communicate with the world. The session will discuss History and Culture Tourism as a practical way to create "living historical spaces." Jeon Go-pil (CEO of Yeongam Culture and Tourism) will present, followed by a discussion with Jo Han-i (Team Leader at Gwangju Dong-gu Culture and Tourism Foundation) and Eom Su-gyeong (Photographer and Children’s Author).

Through this event, the May Literary Arts Research Institute and the May 18 Memorial Foundation aim to move beyond simple commemoration and explore new possibilities for the identity of the Gwangju-Jeonnam community in an era of transformation. Additionally, they plan to highlight the global significance of May 18 as a model that offers lessons for realizing transitional justice worldwide.

Ultimately, this forum intends to track the "unfinished May 18" reflected in literary works and establish a platform for continuous public discourse on the cultural sublimation and succession of the May spirit.